Call centers are generally used by organizations to handle large numbers of calls with clients. An automatic call distributor (ACD) of the call center processes the calls with clients of the organization and distributes the calls to agents of the organization. An ACD usually handles inbound calls although a dialer may be associated with the ACD to allow the ACD to handle both inbound and outbound calls.
In a commercial context, a call center may be used by a merchant to receive calls from clients who wish to place orders, check on orders or register complaints. Alternatively and in the same context, a call center may be used by an organization to place outbound calls. In this context, a credit card company may generate a list of delinquent accounts with respective telephone numbers and cause the ACD to place calls to those numbers. As each number is dialed, the ACD may monitor the connection for pick-up by a person. When the ACD detects that a person has answered the call, the ACD may select an agent and connect the call to the selected agent.
In other, blended systems, inbound and outbound calls may be handled simultaneously. In this case, an appropriate number of agents may be assigned to handling inbound calls. Any remaining agents may be assigned to handling outbound calls. As call loading changes during any particular time period, the percentages of agents assigned to inbound and outbound calls may be adjusted. For example, the time that a client remains in a call waiting queue may be monitored. If the time exceeds a predetermined threshold, then the number of agents assigned to inbound and outbound calls may be adjusted. If the time in queue is too long then agents may be transferred from making outbound calls to receiving inbound calls. If the time in queue becomes relatively short then agents may be transferred from receiving inbound calls to making outbound calls.
While blended systems work relatively well, they also lack the flexibility to efficiently utilize agent time. Accordingly, a need exists for better methods of scheduling agent activity.